octolilly [through the years]

I first saw him rummaging about on the computer aisle. His constant gazing at my buggy began driving me crazy. When I stopped to check out the heat wraps on the medicine aisle, he and his girlfriend slithered by. There was just something about him that shouted out, “Evil! Run!” Of course, I experience that feeling quite a bit when I’m at Wal-Mart. It’s just normally because I’m trying to convince myself I don’t need to buy the latest Sim Expansion pack.

I almost choked when he and his girlfriend ended up behind me in line for the checkout. I shouldn’t have been surprised when he leaned over and whispered to his girlfriend, “We need to hurry. The sheriff might see my truck in the parking lot.”

I refrained from grabbing the nearest Wal-Mart greeter as my shield and heading for the door.

It’s like clockwork. The wind picks up, the leaves line the streets, I pull all of my scarves out, the heat is officially turned on, and I head to the bakery.

Once a year, rain or shine, my granny sends me to the bakery in downtown Greenville. It’s a tiny little place filled with chocolate, sugar coated candies, antique dolls (which has never made sense), jars of Chow Chow, and every sweet food you can imagine. The two older ladies who run the store have me memorized. From the minute I walk in the door, they dust their aprons off and run to ask me how my granny is, when did I get that new hair cut, how is my love life, where am I working, would I want the new recipe for pineapple cake, etc.

Maybe they can never remember my name and always call me “that young girl” but I still consider them sweet friends.